


Punching Bag

by Elenhin



Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Gen, Teddy-bear, punching bag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 17:22:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenhin/pseuds/Elenhin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This would have to be a sequel to Teddy-bear. Axl has some vague memories of being very drunk and very mad at Anders, and starts thinking maybe he should apologize for what he said to his brother. </p>
<p>While doing this, he also finds out what else he did to his brother. </p>
<p>Teddy bear originally was a challenge from the ever talented Aramirandme81, which means this one is also thanks to her...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Punching Bag

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aramirandme81](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aramirandme81/gifts).



Punching Bag

 

Waking up Axl have only vague memories of the previous evening. He had gone out with the intention of getting drunk, and given how he felt he was fairly positive he had succeeded. He had a headache and a dry mouth as he stumbled out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. After a couple of glasses of water he felt better and was able to think again.

 

He had been mad at Anders, that was why he had gone out to get drunk, becuase he felt like punching his brother and he figured getting hammered was a better option.

 

However he had a vague memory that getting drunk had not helped as much as he had hoped and he had still been pissed at his brother.

  
In fact he would be willing to go as far as to say the more he drank, the more he found himself grating over Anders until he had pretty much made Anders responsible for anything and everything wrong in the world. Perhaps that was taking it a bit too far. Anders could be a dick, but Axl couldn’t really see how the dinosaurs dying could be his fault, and he probably hadn’t been the one to blame for Titanic either.

 

It wasn’t the first time he blamed Anders for something that wasn’t really his fault, but even he knew his brother was not the one who had caused earthquakes.

 

Perhaps it was just that getting mad at Anders was sometimes easier than figuring out what the problem really was.

 

Unfortunately he had a vague memory of not only blaming Anders, but calling him to tell him exactly what he was blaming him for. Hopefully he had not done so but only intended to do it.

  
With his hopes high he checked his phone log, and found a call placed to anders in the middle of the night. It was long enough he could be sure he had probably said a lot of things to him he should not. Yes, Anders could be a dick, a total dick and a wanker and there were times Axl was so pissed at him he only wanted to hit him. Then there were other times when Anders proved just what kind of brother he was capable of being. The generous and supportive kind. Anders very rarely told him he couldn’t do something. He might suggest not to, he’d tell you it was a bad idea with a high likelihood of a nasty outcome. If you insisted on doing it anyway, well, then he stood there ready to pick up the pieces and sort you out just before you got an ‘I told you so.’ He’d wait with that one though, until the mess was sorted and he would figure you had learned your lesson and there was no need to tell Mike. He was the one who had actually bailed him out of jail once, and never really used it against him. He’d remind him, and use it to play on Axl’s gratitude, but he never really used it against him. He was also the one who had stopped Axl from doing something he would really have regretted.

 

Getting drunk in the wrong crowd had been a really bad idea, but he had known he would be pissed and had actually been able to talk Anders into picking him up from the start. It was kids from his class and it had been rowdy, when Anders came they were involved in a ‘macho competition’ that had moved from someones flat down to the tattoo parlor. When Anders showed up Axl had just decided on an awful tattoo he truly would have regretted for the rest of his life, and it was a mistake Anders did not allow him to make.

 

The problem was that Axl did not listen very well when he was drunk, and talking him out of it had cost Anders a black eye and split lip.

 

What more, he still never told Mike how that happened. Axl had felt really guilty about it, as he should, and Anders let him know as much. He just never told Mike what Axl had been about to do, and that his baby brother had punched him as he sought to stop him.

 

No matter what bad things Anders did, there was a lot of good things he had done too so he really had no right to blame him for more than his due.

 

If he had said the things he thought he had said he knew that Anders would not really be of a mind to listen to an apology so calling him was pointless. He would not answer.

 

Besides, he rather did owe it to him to apologize in person.

 

Making up his mind he finished dressing and headed over to Anders’ flat. Chances were he would still be there. As far as he knew his brother had nothing else to do.

 

Standing outside the flat he nearly turned around and left again, but there were times when you had to man up, and this was one of them. He didn’t ring the bell though, again he imagined Anders would simply ignore it. Instead he simply entered.

 

Hearing the shower running he closed the door behind him, walking into the flat and stopping by the fishtank. One of  the armchairs were turned towards the tank and he bit his lip. Normally he could be pretty oblivious to what was going on around him, but he knew one thing. When something was wrong, Anders spent a lot more time watching his fish. If the armchair was turned that way, something had been bothering Anders and he had a feeling he was responsible.

 

The shower stopped and he fidgeted a little, shifting his feet. Then Anders came out with a towel around his waist. Axl had been about to speak up, but stopped.

 

Anders had one hand raised to dry his hair, and his forearm was quite badly bruised from the elbow down. His nose was swollen and discoloured by bruising as well, and as if that was not enough there are several bruises along his ribcage.

 

“Oh shit!” Axl can’t help it, the sight of his brother jogs his memory enough he knows how they got there. Once more, he has taken out his anger on his brother, not just in his mind but physically as well.

 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Anders folds his arms across his chest, allowing the towel he had used on his hair to hang at his side. Apparently he’s not really phased by the fact that his brother has just entered uninvited, again. His voice is perfectly calm as if that happens every day.

 

“I uh, I wanted to say I was sorry, I just didn’t realize how much I was sorry for,” Axl mumbles, fidgeting again.

 

Leaning his shoulder against the wall Anders gives him that grin that usually ticks Axl off because he looks so smug. “For calling me dick, wanker, shitty brother, or for saying you hate me, not to mention punching me?”

 

“I really thought all I did was call you dick,” he admitted with a sheepish look. “I didn’t remember the rest.”

 

Anders shrugged, tossing the towel over the back of the couch and Axl tries to figure out what to say. “Anyway, I’m still sorry.”

 

“Sure,” Anders nods, heading back towards the bedroom and after a moment of hesitation Axl follows him.

 

“Are you very mad at me?”

 

“Not really, it’s nothing new Axl,” Anders shrugs. He pulls on a pair of slacks before turning around.

 

“That, kinda make me feel worse,” he decides. Anders is right. It is nothing new. “But, well, I really am sorry.”

 

“Didn’t figure you came here for round two,” now Anders gives him a slight grin. “I know what I am Axl, but calling me in the middle of the night when I’m sleeping to call me a dick. Then say you hate me when I got there to drag you out of there instead of leaving your sorry ass, only to punch me when I try to put you to bed.

 

“Makes me think this time I was the dick,” he sighs.

 

“Yeah, this time you were,” Anders agrees. “And sometimes it’s Mike, and even Ty, but most often it’s me. I know what I am, but none of the rest of you are perfect, and it would do you good to remember that at times.”

 

“Yeah,” again Axl nodded. “And I’m really, really sorry.”

 

“Fine,” moving to open a drawer Anders finds a t-shirt and pulls it on. “You were pissed, in more ways than one, and I was the punching bag. At least then I’m useful for something, yeah?”

 

“Oh shit,” biting his lip he dropped his head. “I never meant to do that Anders. I was pissed yeah, but it’s no excuse, is it?”

 

“No,” this was not a conversation he had ever planned on having with his brother, but perhaps it was time for it. “But you asked me yesterday why I’m always a dick, and the truth is still the same today as it was then. Someone has to be, and in this family it’s me. It’s what I was made to be from the start, and it’s what I’m good at. Things are shit, need to vent, well, go for it, at least that means I’m useful for something.”

 

“No Anders, fuck that’s so wrong,” he pleaded. “You used to be the best brother in the world, but now things are so fucked up, and you’re so fucked up, and I wish it could be that way again. When you really,  really were my big brother.”

 

“The big brother you liked to poke fun of cause you were bigger?” Anders challenged, crossing his arms over his chest again. “Not to mention a couple of times when I made a handy punching bag even back then? Things haven’t changed as much as you think they have Axl.”

 

“I uh, I guess not,” he admitted. “Are you okay? I mean, did I hurt you?”

 

“What the fuck does it look like?” Anders held out his hands in a gesture. “Yeah, of course you did. You came damn close to breaking my nose, and crack my ribs. I was so fucking sore this morning I hardly even wanted to get up, and that’s not saying anything about the insults.”

 

“I’m really, really sorry,” Axl half whined.

 

“And I heard you,” Anders nods. “I just don’t know what’s worse, hearing you say sorry now, and know it’ll just be the same next time you need to vent. Or, getting to take this from the lot of you until I really do think I deserve it, and I might. Fucked if I know anymore. Maybe the purpose of my being is so that you guys can vent. I just don’t know anymore, and I’m getting pretty fucking sick and tired of it.”

 

“It’s not, it’s just the way we are fucked up and shitty,” Axl mumbled. “It shouldn’t be that way Anders. You’re, well, you are dick, but, but I don’t think it’s your fault really. At least not all of it. And you didn’t deserve this. I’m sorry I hit you.”

 

“It’s fine Axl,” Anders decided it was time to let him off the hook.

 

“No it’s not,” Axl shook his head. “I could have broken your ribs. I know how hard I can punch at times when I get mad.”

 

“Actually, that wasn’t punching, that was the  part where you used me for a teddy-bear,” Anders mused.

 

“What?” he frowned confused.

 

“You grabbed me and started hugging me, after you were done with your tantrum,” Anders grins. “You  really did use me as a teddy-bear. Wouldn’t let me go until some time this morning.

 

“Whoa, really?” he blinked surprised.  

 

Anders pulled up the t-shirt, turning around to show Axl his back and a two inch wide band of dark bruising that went clear from one side to the other. “That’s what being crushed by you for most of the night does,” he grinned.

 

“Eh, maybe you should go see a doctor,” Axl bit is lip.

 

“Fuck no!” Anders tugs the t-shirt down. “No fucking way. I hate doctors and you know it. And it’s just bruises anyway. Couple of days and it’ll be fine.”

 

“Until next time,” Axl sighed and Anders nodded.

 

“Yeah until next time,” Anders agreed.

 

“I don’t want there to be a next time,” Axl bit his lip. “I do know you’ve done a lot of good stuff for me, and for all of us, but when I get mad, all I remember is the bad shit.”

 

“That’s being human Axl,” he had to smile a little. Don’t beat yourself up for that, and well, preferably, don’t beat me up for it either,” he added  teasingly.

 

“I am really sorry,” Axl repeated again. “Please don’t let me do that again.”

 

Anders chuckled, “you think I could stop you? Fucks sake Axl, you can beat me and not even break a sweat and you know it. Just try to keep your temper a bit better, trust me, that’s when you can get really dangerous. Becuase then you really don’t know what you’re doing.”

 

“Yeah, I really need to work on that,” he agreed.

 

“I’ll give you one thing though,” Anders started slowly. “It took some guts for you to come here and apologize. Year or two ago, I would’ve been lucky to get a text. You always did take us for granted and never much gave a second thought about any of it. I guess you’re starting to finally grow up.”

 

“Guess maybe I am,” Axl gave him a sheepish smile. Then he became more serious again. “I keep saying I don’t wanna be like you, but maybe a little I do. Not the whoring around and drinking, but maybe about responsibility and stuff like that.”

 

“None of us are perfect Axl, and none of us are totally bad either. Just make sure that you’re no worse than what you can put up with,” Anders gave him another smile. “Ty’s totally gay and Mike seriously need to learn to take a step back and stop being such a control freak. I whore around and drink as you so nicely put it, you get pissed and beat up your brothers, or more specifically the smallest one. Which kinda makes you something of a bully.”

 

“And I need to stop that,” he nodded. “Seriously Anders, I am gonna try, but if I do it again, stop me if you can, or get the hell out of the way. I don’t want to hurt you again. I don’t even get it, why did you stay after I punched you?”

 

“Because even if you are a fucking giant, you are still my ‘little’ brother,” Anders grinned. “Fucks sake Axl, you think I could leave you so pissed you don’t even know what you’re doing? Let just anything happen to you?”

 

“But I never cared to do that with you,” he frowned. Sure, he had given Anders a ride home a time or two when they were both out together and his brother was drunk. He had just never kept an eye on him to make sure he would be okay. He had never followed him inside to make sure he got to bed okay. In fact, he just dropped him off on the street and did not even make sure that he even got inside his flat.

 

“I’m a big brother Axl, you’re not supposed to look out for me,” Anders shrugged.

 

“You’re a fucking dwarf, and that means I can as much as I want to,” Axl declared, fully intending to start doing just that. It was about time to. Anders had always looked out for him in his own way. No one looked out for Anders though, not really, and someone should. “You’re gonna stop being such a dick, and so am I, I guess.”

 

“Sounds good Axl,” Anders shrugged. “Do you mind if I get to work now, before Dawn gets mad enough to castrate me?”

 

“Eh, could you drop me off at home on your way?” Axl asked, ducking his head a little. “My car don’t work, I don’t have enough money for a cab back.”

 

“Sure bro,” Anders reached for his keys.

 

“Ta, you’re the best, in your own shitty way,” Axl grinned teasingly, and wrapped his arms around his brother in a firm hug.

 

“Ow!” Anders yelped as Axl’s arms pressed against his bruised ribs. “You fucking dick! Ow!” He broke free, glaring at Axl who simply grinned as he rubbed his side. “What the hell was that for now?”

 

“Can’t help it, you’re kinda cuddly you know Anders,” Axl declared. “You’re just the perfect size for hugging and that shit, perfect teddy-bear. And you’re just right too, neither too pudgy or too hard, you’re, well, comfortable, real teddy-bear.”

 

“Yeah, well this ‘teddy-bear’ has some severely bruised ‘stuffing’ thanks to  your hugging last night.” Anders could look really scary when he was angry, but he did not now Axl mused. He did not appear to be truly angry either. “If you do that again, I will get a chair and smack you good, do you understand?”

 

“Sure, putting an arm around his shoulders instead Axl pulled him close briefly in a half hug.

 

“Better,” hefting his keys Anders headed for the door. “Now get moving if you want a ride, Dawn really will kill me if I’m much later.

 

Axl nodded as he followed, he had been a complete dick the night before, but maybe the outcome had been good.

  
The End


End file.
